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CROCODOPOLIS world of crocodilians TM SCIENCE · CULTURE · INDUSTRY · NEWS · COMMUNICATION · CONSERVATION
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NEWS
THE CROC PRESS
Regular coverage of crocodilians and people in headlines worldwide.
Wes von Papineäu News Page Editor Email: crocnews@crocodopolis.net _________________________________________________
Week of 04 March 07
08
March 08
Alligators say 'adios' to retention pond Great escape spares the trio from a bad end in the shallow water near park.
"Alligators
on jumping motor bikes clear the wire and avoid the guards"?
Not
quite … but in Winter Haven, Florida, three of them did pull off a
great escape.
It seems that
the
alligators that had been trapped in a retention pond for several months
climbed a specially-built-for-them, six metre/20 foot-long wooden ramp
and walked about 7.6m/25 ft to a lake and slipped under a fence to
freedom.
A nice ‘good news’ story to start your day. http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070308/NEWS/703080
08 March 07 Training reptiles is all in a day's work
From Florida, we have a modest description of 'A Day in the Life of the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park. The activities of reptile keeper Kevin Torregrosa and his charges are described in supportive and affectionate detail, including the keeper's comment that "Reptiles are a lot more intelligent than people give them credit for." "It's only recently that people have become aware of training opportunities with crocodiles. If you talked about training them 10 years ago, people would have laughed at you," said David Kledzik, the zoo's reptile curator. The Alligator Farm has been a respected source for reptile research since it opened in 1893. http://staugustine.com/stories/030807/news_4453027.shtml
08 March 07 Contrary Croc - 'Maximo' decides to stop performing For visitors at park
Maximo, the 1,250 pound/565 kilo 'croc king' of the St. Augustine's Alligator Farm and Zoological Park's 'feeding show' is apparently on strike. Instead of working through his required exercises, a combination of walking to and leaping for his food, he's doing as he pleases -- even if it means going without a ration of guinea pigs or quail. Carefully crafted by park staff, the to-date successful, 3-years-running entertainment and fitness routine is designed to ensure that the 15 ft/ 4.5 m Maximo doesn't become a 'chubby'. David Kledzik, the zoo's reptile curator said that Maximo is "being pretty clear. He just doesn't want to do the show." Efforts to change up the feeding routine in an attempt to get the crocodile to revert to form has been unsuccessful. "When it all comes down to it, it's a game for him. He knows perfectly well that he's controlling our behavior as much as we're controlling his," Kledzik said. http://staugustine.com/stories/030807/news_4453121.shtml
08 March 07 Rare catch for fishermen
Four Malaysian fishermen hauled in a 70 cm/2.3 ft , 2 kg/4 lb baby crocodile with their catch in Taiping. Of note, the newspaper observed that the four fishermen were able to trap the wee critter "before it could attack them". http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/3/8/north/17080155&sec=North
08 March 07 Salty in Lake Kununurra
The latest Oz-saltie drama is occurring in Lake Kununurra where officials are trying to trap a 3-metre/10 foot saltwater crocodile that has been spotted in Lake Kununurra. Wildlife officers have conducted river patrols to locate and remove the animal from the lake, which is a 'crocodile control zone'. They reminded locals that if a saltwater crocodile is seen, people should leave the area immediately and contact authorities. http://www.kimberleyecho.com/archive/2007/20070308/story03.html
07 March 07 Texas gator hunt season First in decades
The first of April marks the beginning of alligator hunting season in Texas - the first in decades. Hunters will be allowed to shoot alligators during nesting season and can shoot the reptiles in open water, but it's one gator per person. Critics don't like the idea of going after a gator while it has a nest full of eggs, and they also worry an inexperienced hunter may try to jump in the water to help an injured gator. http://www.khou.com/news/state/stories/khou070307_tnt_gatorhunting.2
06
March 07
Tom, 73, saves man from alligator
A
British press follow-on to the previously reported
Alligator attacks
golf course worker of 14 February 07, it describes 73-year old Tom
Arundel’s version of what happened.
Mr
Arundel said: "We heard him shout and ran over. We could see him
struggling, waist-deep. The alligator had him by the foot
underneath…He was trying to fight it and gouge its eyes, but it
wouldn't let go. We were able to get him to the bank, hang on to him
and stop him going under...Eventually it gave up and let go and we got
him out." http://www.thisissouthend.co.uk/news/local/display.var.1237190.0.tom_73
06
March 07 Alligators may lose Florida protection As residents' complaints mount
A
longer press item about the debate in Florida as to the future of the
American alligator as a protected species.
In
response to over 21,000 complaints last year about nuisance gators, the
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's biologists have
considered ending the alligator's status as a species of special concern
and reclassifying it as a game animal, like deer, hogs and turkeys. They
have proposed allowing landowners to kill as many as they want, as well
as vastly expanding the tightly controlled hunting program. The
commission has begun a series of public hearings, with two scheduled
March 14 and 15 in West Palm Beach.
Any
changes are certain to be controversial, involving public safety,
people's livelihoods and a creature that's a symbol of wild Florida.
An
estimated 1 million or more alligators live in Florida.
The
number of people killed in Florida due to gator attacks is 20 since
since 1948. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-cgatormar06,0,
3403756.story?coll=sfla-news-sfla
06
March 07
Crocodile Freezes Reptile found on Bethlehem doorstep
An
abandoned 3-ft/1m-long, male crocodile dies outside while wandering
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania streets. In addition to the cold, the unfortunate
animals has also recently ingested a 15 cm/6 in -long piece of
kerosene-soaked wick from a Tiki torch which caused a bowel impaction
and may have contributed to the crocs’ ugly demise. http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-mailbox-wyv84g5-j7sx1-jmar06,0
05
March 07
Crocodile gives jitters in hamlet
From
India we learn that residents of the Kaikatti village had a “rare
and awesome visitor.”
Apparently
it was lassoed by two local youths and turned over to the forest
department for release into a Crocodile Farm
Please
note, the item’s title bears very little relevance to the following
story. http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IET20070305015443&Page= T&Title=Southern+News+-+Tamil+Nadu&Topic=0
05
March 07
Croc 'wanted to Turn me into mincemeat'
A
South African fisherman man ought off a crocodile with a knife after
the Limpopo River reptile grabbed his leg.
The
victim said, "I had taken a dip to cool off and was sitting on
the rock with a cloth over my face when I suddenly felt a bite on my
thigh"
Once his wits
were about him, the man grabbed his flick knife while beating at the
croc trying to drag him into the river.
He stabbed the crocodile in its back, but the reptile's scales
were too thick. He then went for the reptile's stomach, which proved
to be the trick to get the croc to release him.
The
man escaped with ‘minor injuries to his right leg and hands.’ http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=301026&area=/breaking_news/
05
March 07 Celebrating crocs in Papua New Guinea
A
WWF report on their ‘crocodile festival’ which highlighted the
importance of crocodile conservation and the species’ habitat along
the Sepik River - home to some of the world’s largest freshwater and
saltwater crocodile populations. However, both species are threatened
by ongoing mining, logging and agricultural activities, as well as the
dangers of commercial exploitation of crocodile skin and eggs. The
launch of the festival and associated publications represents a new
initiative by WWF to promote community tourism and conservation in the
region.
http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/index.cfm?uNewsID=95400
03
March 07
Taichung museum unveils Prehistoric crocodile fossils
The
Taichung City-based National Museum of Natural Science unveiled
yesterday its collection of fossils of ancient crocodiles including
180 million year-old Steneosaurus bollensis and a 5.6 m/18 ft
-long reptile called Dyrosaurus phosphaticus that was found in
Morocco and is said to be around 50 million years old.
In
addition, officials announced that the museum is managing a specimen
of a crocodilian species discovered in Penghu, off southwestern
Taiwan, in 2006, which is estimated to be 14 million years old.
It
is the oldest crocodilian fossil unearthed in Taiwan and is important
in that the fossil has preserved skin and even food in its stomach.
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